Apparatus for manipulating a source of radioactive material



APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING A SOURCE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Nov. 12, 1968 Filed Oct. 6, 1966 Nov. 12, 1968 GALLAGHER 3,410,526

APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING A SOURCE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Filed Oct. 6, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I G I) %@,Mmht

United States Patent 3,410,526 APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING A SOURCE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Leo Gallagher, 45 Broughton St., Concord, New South Wales, Australia Filed Oct. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 584,898 Claims priority, application Australia, Oct. 11, 1965, 65,115/ 65 2 Claims. (Cl. 254- 150) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for manipulating a source of radioactive material on the end of a flexible cable in which means are provided to advance and retract the cable and in which additional means are provided to retract the cable and source should the first mentioned means be rendered inoperative. The cable is driven by cooperative engagement with a grooved wheel which acts as a clutch due to the cable being resiliently urged against said wheel by spring biased rollers.

This invention relates to apparatus which contains and provides means for manipulating a source of radioactive material.

The apparatus of this invention is designed to advance a radioactive source into an area where radioactive exposure is to take place and then to subsequently be withdrawn back into a shielded area in the apparatus. With such apparatus it is necessary to provide for it to be fail safe so that if the retracting mechanism fails the capsule can still be withdrawn into the shielded area.

In one type of prior construction the capsule has to be displaced from one position to another by compressed air, the capsule being a sliding fit into a tube. This is a cumbersome arrangement as the tube has to be provided with an air supply at each end of the working stroke so that the capsule can be advanced or retracted.

In accordance with the present invention the capsule is attached to one end of an elongated flexible member and is normally housed in a shielded area having an opening for the capsule to pass through, the flexible member being fed into the shielded area by drive means and additional means for retracting the capsule should the drive means fail in service.

The present invention provides a device for manipulating a source of radioactive material comprising a drive mechanism for advancing and retracting a container for radioactive material mounted on a flexible member into and out of a shielded housing, a guide assembly for guiding the flexible member into and out of a storage reel during retraction and advancing of the container, drive means for actuating said drive mechanism, catch means for disconnecting said drive means from. said drive mechanism and selectively operable means for retracting the flexible member to position the source in the shielded member when said catch means have been actuated to disconnect said drive means from said drive mechanism.

The invention is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the device of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the device of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the shielded housing for attachment to the device of FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the shielding housing of FIGURE 3.

In the preferred construction there is provided a frame on which the drive mechanism.- 11 is mounted and a radioactive shield assembly 12 in which the radioactive source 13 is normally housed.

The drive assembly 11 is arranged to be driven by a remotely operated flexible cable 14 or other means operated manually or otherwise. The drive cable or means engages a threaded nipple 15 on the frame with a socket journalled therein of known construction on a shaft for engagement with a coupling member on the drive cable or other drive means. The drive shaft 16 has a pinion 17 which engages a main gear 18 on a main shaft 19 also journalled in the frame. The main shaft 19 is journalled in a winding shaft 20 on which a drive drum 21 is keyed and a supply drum 22 is journalled.

The frame -incli'ifie'"s spaced' arms 23 through which the winding shaft passes with bearings 24 secured to the arms to rotatably mount the winding shaft. Bearing brackets 25 and 26 are secured to each spaced arm 23 outboard thereof and in one such bracket 25 the main shaft 19 beyond the main gear 18 is journalled. Similarly a more elongated bracket 26 is positioned on the other spaced arm to support a bearing 27 in which the adjacent end of the main shaft 19 is positioned. This end is hereinafter termed the return end of the main shaft. The bearing 27 in such bracket defines on its inner end a shoulder which is engaged by a coil spring 28 which also engages an enlarged shoulder 29 on the main shaft 19 and urges it towards the main gear end of the frame. It is normally prevented from being displaced by such spring by a pivoted catch lever 30 on the main gear return end bracket which is held in position by a pin 31 in matched holes 32 in a projection 33 on the bracket and in the catch lever 30. When the pin 31 is pulled out the main shaft 19 is displaced by the spring 28 to free the main gear 18 from the pinion 17 as shown in broken lines and to bring a driving portion 34 into engagement with a socket in a ratchet lever 35 mounted on the main shaft 19 and positioned by a bracket 36 and slotted guide 37 on the return end bracket 26. The ratchet lever is spring biassed by a spring 38 secured to the lever and to a portion of the frame 10 in its return movement so that drive movement by means of a rod 39 can be imparted to the ratchet from a remote location to return the mechanism and retract the source should the main drive mechanism fail. A slotted keyway 40 in the winding shaft and a key 41 on the main shaft mechanism connects the main shaft 19 with the winding shaft 20 under the influence of the biassing spring 28 during operation by both drive means. Separate power operated return means may also be provided.

The drive drum comprises a grooved wheel 42 for actuating a mhleflligplvhigh thesource--13;is'positioned. A tubular guide 44 positioned on the frame 10 from the shield assembly 12 to the grooved wheel 42 and vice versa guides the cable. Another or second tubular guide 45 is arranged to guide the cable 43 onto the grooved wheel from the supply drum 22 or vice versa.

At two diametrically opposite positions and in one position transverse thereto around the drive wheel 42 the cable portions are urged into engagement with the groove of the drive wheel by rplle rs lti mounted on eaghend of bracketsglfl which are ufged agai iist the'gfooved wheel by coil springs 48 acting between the frame 10 and the brackets 47 and adjustable by nuts 49 for tension. In the other transverse position the tubular guides 44 and 45 are positioned out of engagement with the grooved wheels. This arrangement acts as a drive clutch.

The supply drum 22 includes a sheet metal housing with a radial plate portion, a flange on the periphery thereof extending towards the drive wheel and then extending inwards towards the main shaft axis 19. The radial plate portion is provided with a sleeve bearing'50 which is journalled ongthe-windinggshafhiihe open side of the drnmis substantially closed by a disc 51 which is also jour-nalled by a sleeve bearing 52 on the shaft 19 and has passing through it the tubular guide 44.

The shielded housing lgwhich isattached'to the frame 10 is lead lined and has'a fiXed base part 53, with passage 54, and 'afifs front' end has a circular pivoted door 55 which is apertured with a diametrical passage 56 and which coacts with a part circular fixed guide 57 secured to the base part 53 and having a coacting aperture 58 so that the source -lfi and cableufl may be guided through the passages in the members 53, 55 and '57 when they are in line. A lever 59 is provided to displace the door between open and closed positions. When the source is retracted it is housed in the passage 54 and the door 55 rotated through 90 to seal off any radiation.

The housing 12 is secured to the main frame 10 by a bracket 60 which is bolted to the main frame.

The main frame 10 and the assembly therein is mounted inside a metal casing which for clarity has been omitted from the drawings.

I claim:

1. A device for manipulating a container having a source of radioactive material therein into and out o f a shielded housing comprising a frame, a drive mechanism rum ted oh said frame for advancing and retracting a flexible member connected to said containers, l a was sembly for guiding said flexible member into and out of said storagereel during retraction and advancing of the container, drive means for actuating said drive mechanism, catch means for disconnecting said drive means from said drive mechanism, selectively operable means for retracting the flexible member to position said container within Qid shielded housing hen said catch means have been actuated to disconnect said drive means from said drive mechanism, said drive mechanism including a drive shaft on which said storage wheel is rotatably 4 mounted, a yinding shaft rnounted on and driven by the drive shaft, ta drivef'whe'el having a substantially smooth struction by said flexible member, said ;drive means con1 prising a pinion, a driving member for driving said pinion, a main gear for driving engagement with the pinion and fixedly mounted on the drive shaft for rotation therewith, said drive shaft being mounted fgr axial movement on said frame, arid a spring mounted on the main shaft for urging said drive shaft axially to displace said main gear out of driving engagement with said pinion in response to release of said catch means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the selectively operable means comprises a ratchet lever mounted on the drive shaft, said shaft having a portion which is brought into driving engagement with said ratchet lever when the main shaft is displaced by said spring when said catch means have been actuated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,464,168 8/1923 Booth 254-150 2,495,804 1/ 1950 Berchtold. 2,916,628 12/1959 Prest 250-106 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

